Going outdoors

By RODNEY PAGE
Published January 13, 2006

BIRD-WATCHING

COMPLETE TRAIL: The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has spent years building its 2,000-mile Great Florida Birding Trail, and on Saturday the final leg will be complete. In a ceremony at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples the FWC will unveil the last of nine "gateway sites" along the trail. The trail stretches from east to west across the state and covers 12 counties from Broward to Sarasota. There are 446 bird-watching sites along the trail. The Naples site includes a 2.25-mile boardwalk, the Blair Audubon Center, a variety of educational activities and more than 200 species of birds. Saturday's daylong celebration begins at 8:30 a.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $6 for students and $5 for National Audubon Society members. See www.myfwc.com for details.

MANATEE DEATHS: Red Tide caused problems for many species in 2005, and manatees were no exception. In an FWC study, 396 manatees died in state waters in 2005, the second most since 1974, the first year manatee mortality data was collected. The deadliest year remains 1996, when 415 died, 151 blamed on a Red Tide that year. Of the deaths in 2005, 81 were blamed on Red Tide and 80 from boating-related accidents. There were 69 reported deaths from boating accidents in 2004, but it remains consistent with the five-year average of boating-related deaths. Lee County led Florida with 11 documented boating deaths for manatees. To report a dead or injured manatee, call the FWC at 1-888-404-3922.

HEY TREE LOVERS: So you've been thinking about joining the National Arbor Day Foundation but need a good reason? How about five free crepe myrtles if you join the organization in January? As part of its Trees for America campaign, the National Arbor Day Foundation will ship the crepe myrtles to anyone who shells out the $10 membership fee. The trees will be shipped between Feb. 1 and May 31, prime growing season, and are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced. To receive the free trees, send the membership fee to Five Crepe Myrtles, National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Avenue, Nebraska City, NE 68410 by January 31. For more information, call 1-888-448-7337. By the way, Arbor Day is April 28 this year.

HELPING BAILEE: Lt. Humberto Navarro of the FWC in Tampa is organizing a pasta dinner to raise funds for Bailee Dunnigan, the daughter of fellow FWC officer Mike Dunnigan. Bailee was diagnosed with leukemia in March of 2001, and the dinner is to raise funds to help the Dunnigans with medical costs. The event it at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Tarpon Springs Elks Club (237 S. Pinellas Ave.). Donations for the dinner are $5. For more information call the Elks Club at (727) 937-1431.

[Last modified January 13, 2006, 01:46:17]